Shloka 26
अध्याय ९ — दुर्योधनस्य अन्त्यावस्था, विलापः, तथा सौप्तिक-प्रतिवृत्तम्
Duryodhana’s Final Condition, Lamentation, and the Night’s Report
ननु रामो<ब्रवीद् राजंस्त्वां सदा यदुनन्दन: । दुर्योधनसमो नास्ति गदया इति वीर्यवान्
nanu rāmo 'bravīd rājan tvāṁ sadā yadunandanaḥ | duryodhanasamo nāsti gadayā iti vīryavān ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Sesungguhnya, wahai raja, Rama yang perkasa—penghibur kaum Yadu—sentiasa menyatakan tentangmu: ‘Dalam pertarungan gada, tiada yang setara dengan Duryodhana.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how worldly excellence—here, unmatched skill in mace-combat—can earn authoritative praise, yet such prowess is ethically neutral: it does not by itself secure dharma or a good outcome. In the Sauptika context, it also underscores the tragic irony that celebrated strength cannot prevent ruin when guided by adharma and destructive choices.
Sanjaya reminds King Dhṛtarāṣṭra of Balarama’s long-standing assessment that Duryodhana had no equal in fighting with the mace. The remark functions as a recollection of Duryodhana’s famed martial reputation while the aftermath of the war continues to unfold.